It's interesting. I don't have a comprehensive understanding of all other countries. What I can speak to is the atmosphere in Canada towards investment and the need for more investment, particularly in R and D. It takes an enormous amount of money, with little return and no knowledge that there will be a return. It isn't like saying, “I'm going to buy oil contracts and I already have my customers lined up.” That's more of a direct line in terms of how you are going to make money, having the contracts lined up.
In research and development, it is a risk. It is an entirely risky business. At the same time, we tell the world we want to be a knowledge-based economy. We want to move from hewing wood and extracting minerals and metals, which have served the country well, into having a knowledge economy. Then you say, “But I want to disassociate myself from the world capital markets that would allow that to happen.”
Given the tension in this act, my suggestion would be either to look at safe harbours or to identify the countries of interest. If you really are concerned about particular countries, then the minister of external affairs could say, “We are now concerned about x” whatever country that might be. That might be another way to approach it.
I don't mean to throw a monkey wrench into everything, and I'm not at all an expert on foreign policy. It's just that I am dealing with companies trying to survive and thrive. The way we thrive is to sell our technology and our ideas abroad. That's intellectual property. It doesn't mean you control it just here. It means it's a good idea throughout the world, and we have an expansive view on Canadian industry.